"I don't get it. We invest in people for the long term. We have job security. We have great managers. But none of that seems to matter anymore."

By explicitly discussing potential challenges—even those that feel threatening or overwhelming—we transform them from looming shadows into concrete situations we can prepare for. This process builds both organizational resilience and psychological readiness.

The Challenge The Transportation Security Administration's Career Management Branch (CMB) faced a unique situation: formed during the...